Nearly 1,600 Rogue Valley Pacific Power customers lose power

Close to 1,600 Pacific Power customers in Jackson County lost power at 4:19 a.m. today when a power pole insulator failed and knocked out electricity in Butte Falls, Eagle Point and Shady Cove.

Company spokesman Tom Gauntt said insulator failures are common during rainy and windy weather. Over the weekend, storm systems dropped multiple inches of rain across southwest Oregon, setting several rainfall records.

As of 7:40 a.m., only eight customers remained without power. Full restoration was expected by 8 a.m.